May I reproduce below a recent news item from the Philippine Supreme Court website (http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph) announcing the names of the deserving 2009 judicial excellence awardees (judges and court personnel).
May they inspire the entire Philippine judiciary in the midst of public perceptions of judicial corruption, right or wrong, in the Philippines.
By their moral example, may they put to shame the corrupt brigands and obnoxious robbers in the Philippine government whose unconscionable greed and selfishness are the main causes of poverty and hopelessness among the poor and downtrodden Filipino masses.
SC Honors 2009 Outstanding Judges, Clerks of Court
Posted: September 15, 2009
By Jay B. Rempillo
The Supreme Court, in conjunction with the Society for Judicial Excellence (SJE), today announced the Judiciary’s outstanding judges for this year. The winners will be honored in an awarding ceremony to be held at 3 p.m. this Friday, September 18, at the Supreme Court Session Hall, Main SC Building, Padre Faura, Manila.
The Judicial Excellence Awardees for 2009 in the Second-Level Courts are Judge Myra V. Garcia-Fernandez of Manila Regional Trial Court, Branch 18, Chief Justice Cayetano Arellano Awardee; Judge Jose Godofredo M. Naui of Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya RTC, Branch 37, Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos Awardee; and Judge Jaime Estanislao Contreras of Naga City RTC, Branch 25, Chief Justice Ramon Avanceña Awardee.
Judge Fernandez is not a first-time JEA winner, having been hailed Best Pre-Trial Judge for Metropolitan Trial Court (METC) in 2003 and Outstanding MeTC Judge in 2004. She also garnered the Special Award for Best Decision in a Civil Case, also in 2004. She started as a private practitioner and later joined the Supreme Court, which eventually paved the way for her promotion as Judge of Manila Metropolitan Trial Court (MeTC), Branch 10 in 2000. She was later promoted to Manila RTC, Branch 18. She finished her Bachelor in Arts, Philosophy and Bachelor of Laws, graduating cum laude in both, at the University of Santo Tomas.
Judge Naui was conferred the Judicial Achievement Award by the Philippine Judges Association in 2008. He is an Assistant Professor at Saint Mary’s University, College of Law and authored books including Notebook in Criminal and Civil Procedure, Quick Index of Supreme Court Cases in Remedial Law, and Case Review Questions in Civil Procedure. He earned his degree at the then Baguio Colleges Foundation (now University of the Cordilleras), graduating cum laude.
Judge Contreras was awarded Most Outstanding Judge of the Philippines by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption in 2004. He obtained his Law degree at the University of Nueva Caceres in Naga City. He joined the Judiciary immediate after successfully hurdling the 1983 Bar Examinations.
The winners in the First-Level Courts are Judge Marie Yvette Dedel-Go of Iloilo Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC), Br. 4, Don Antonio P. Madrigal Award, Judge Cleto R. Villacorta III of Baguio City MTCC, Branch 2, and Judge Sisinio C. Virtudazo of Tagbilaran City MTCC, Branch 1.
The Outstanding Clerks of Court are Atty. Marivic S. Tibayan, Pasay City, RTC, OCC, Atty. Luzviminda Delgado Puno Award for Multiple Sala; and Atty. Remiebel U. Mondia, Pasay City RTC, Br. 118 for Single Sala.
The Society for Judicial Excellence, through its Board of Trustees, administers the annual search for outstanding judges and clerks of court. It is headed by retired SC Justice Bernardo P. Pardo as Chairperson, retired SC Justice Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez as Chairperson Emeritus, and Court of Appeals (CA) Justice Portia Aliño-Hormachuelos, as Vice-Chairperson. Its members include SC Justice Lucas P. Bersamin, retired SC Justice Romeo J. Callejo, Sr., CA Justices Edgardo P. Cruz, Josefina Guevara-Salonga, Apolinario D. Bruselas, Jr., and Sixto C. Marella, Jr., retired Court Administrator Zenaida N. Elepaño, retired CA Justices Godardo A. Jacinto and Jose C. de la Rama, Judges Oscar C. Herrera, Jr. and Kaudri L. Jainul, retired Judge Rosalina Luna Pison, and Atty. Engracio M. Escasinas, Jr. Judge Emily L. San Gaspar-Gito is Secretary, while Atty. Ma. Luisa L. Laurea is Executive Director and also head of the JEA Secretariat.
The final selection of awardees was undertaken by the Board of Judges composed of SC Justice Antonio T. Carpio, Justice Diosdado M. Peralta, Justice Pardo, Justice Gutierrez, retired SC Justice Carolina Griño-Aquino, retired SC Justice Santiago M. Kapunan, CA Presiding Justice Conrado M. Vasquez, Jr., Dean Amado L. Dimayuga of the Judicial and Bar Council, and Dean Cesar L. Villanueva of the Ateneo Law School.
